Published:
11/16/2010 05:06pm
10 Easy Ways to Study More Effectively
Whether you have grade school, middle school, high school or even college students, you can support and encourage their successful learning in two important ways – by helping them create a positive study environment and by providing them with learning tips that apply at home and in the classroom. This report from SuperCamp and Quantum U addresses what students and supportive parents can do in each area.
Creating a Positive Study Environment
Developing strong study habits is an extremely important learning skill, but it’s often overlooked when thinking of ways students can take control of improving their grades. Here are some of the ideas we share with students who attend SuperCamp and with their parents.
1. Establish a defined study area
The most important factor in selecting a student’s study area is that it is quiet and away from distractions. It can be the student’s bedroom, a spare room, a den, a loft, or a bonus room in the basement or over the garage. Also, try to pull together a combination of furniture that fits his or her style. Lighting is also important. The space should be well lit without hurting the eyes.
2. Create affirmation signs for the home study area
Positive signs have the ability to remind a student's subconscious mind of his or her potential to learn. You and your kids can make some signs that contain affirmations such as those listed below. When you make the signs, use lots of color (our brains love color!).
• EVERYONE HAS THE RESOURCES TO BE SUCCESSFUL
• I BELIEVE IN MYSELF
• EVERYTHING I DO DESERVES MY BEST EFFORT
• EVERY CHALLENGE OFFERS A GIFT
• I AM UNIQUE AND VALUABLE
• I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT I CREATE
• I CAN LEARN THIS!
• LEARNING IS FUN AND NATURAL!
3. Provide the proper study tools
Stocking the study environment with reference books, writing materials, text books, and notes ensures maximum learning. Make this a project with your kids - get their ideas on what will work for them and help them create it. Some other ideas include adding a bulletin board where visual aids such as charts, lists, or pictures can go, putting up a book shelf to promote better organization, and using a daily planner (while there are online options, the physical presence of a planner open to the current day or week is a good reminder of the immediate priorities).
Of course, if the student has access to a computer at home for research when studying, it would be best if it can be located in the study area, rather than an open, noisy part of the house that contains distractions.
4. Add some music to the mix
Some classical music is "brain friendly" and enhances the study environment. Baroque music helps students to focus and to access their most resourceful learning state. The music optimizes the functions of the brain that store and retrieve information. Many (most?!) children will think that their own music is best, but try to convince them to try Baroque - they may well notice that it makes their study time easier, and want more! By the way, it works for working as well as for learning! Try some of the following:
• Bach
• Handel
• Pachelbel
• Vivaldi
Learning Tips for Home and School
The learning tips provided below are a part of the learning skills training that students receive in far more depth at SuperCamp and Quantum U.
1. Help your kids tap into their particular learning styles
Finding out your kids’ learning styles can help you understand additional elements that support their natural learning and the effectiveness of their study time. Every one of us learns through Visual, Auditory, and Kinesthetic means, or modalities. Visual learners remember best through what they see, auditory learners from what they hear, and kinesthetic learners from movement and touching. Although each of us learns in all three of the modalities to some degree, most people prefer one over the other two.
If you identify your son or daughter as a visual learner, pictures, graphs, charts, and other organizational tools
